


Parallel

by gyuhyun



Series: Math [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Parallels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-10
Updated: 2014-11-10
Packaged: 2018-02-24 20:40:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2595707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gyuhyun/pseuds/gyuhyun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the story of Kim Joonmyun, the son of a famous business tycoon, and Kim Jongdae, the son of famous musicians. They are from different worlds but they are equals in their own right and this is the story of how they will never meet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Parallel

Joonmyun lives a life filled with luxury. From the day he was born, he'd been bathed in riches beyond compare. But he grew up knowing what it meant to be humble and what it was like to give instead of receiving. His father had said it was important to have values and he taught his son the values he lives by. Joonmyun couldn't be any more grateful.

||

Jongdae's life is filled with music, fame and fortune. He grew up under the limelight of his parents and soon enough, he started shining on his own. He's just the right amount of proud having accomplished so much at an early age but he never fails to be grateful for what he has. He brags but only because he has the rights for it.

 

 

Joonmyun is ten when he realizes what he wants isn't exactly what he needs.

He'd been watching television, seeing children about his age belting out notes to compete against each other. He hadn't really been paying attention, only letting the songs fill the quiet of his room. But then a certain tune filled the room, it was soft and melodic. He knew this song. He focused on the television and saw a boy standing in the middle of the stages, eyes closed and stance straight as a fiddle. When the music made way for the first verse of the song, Joonmyun held his breath and anticipated the voice of the boy.

The moment the boy opened his mouth and began singing, Joonmyun knew what he wanted to be. He wanted to be just like that boy on TV, singing the songs his parents fell in love with. He wants to be a singer.

The boy ended the song, hitting notes that made Joonmyun's spine tingle. He had such a beautiful voice that it made Joonmyun wonder if it was humanly possible. He wondered if he could sing like that one day.

Joonmyun tells his parents about this dream of his. Joonmyun's mother smiles and says she'll sign him up for lessons as soon as possible. Joonmyun's father doesn't look as pleased as Joonmyun thought he'd be but he allows his wife to enroll him into the lessons.

Three weeks into the voice lessons and Joonmyun cannot stop talking about the possibilities of becoming famous, making his own music and singing songs that reaches out to the people.

He gets called by his father for some private discussion the same night. His father has an unusually warm smile on his features. He seems almost apologetic and Joonmyun swallows his own saliva in anticipation for whatever scolding he might get.

Three weeks into his voice lessons, Joonmyun gets told that he cannot be a singer. He gets told that he has other responsibilities to fulfill and being a singer isn't part of his future.

"There is no future in Art, Joonmyun, always remember that," his father had said.

At ten years old, Joonmyun is forced to grow up. His destiny is thrust into his hands and his dreams are thrown away.

||

Jongdae at ten years old realizes there's only two ways his can life can go. He can either kill himself with schoolwork he will never understand or shamelessly soak up the fame of his parents and use it to his own good.

He was talented, gifted in music, given unnecessary voice lessons with a dash of piano and violin and whatever else his parents thought he needed. They wanted him to be just like them and maybe because it was in his blood that Jongdae found out he was great in all things related to music. Except, music was the only thing he was _great_ at. His grades were average and sometimes passing seemed like a faraway dream.

He realized then that he had no choice. He was smart but not in the academic department. If he wanted to be successful in life, he was going to have to use music to get him somewhere.

Jongdae sighs and tells his parents he wants to join that singing competition they'd been bugging him to join. His parents are ecstatic and immediately they are getting his voice teacher so he can practice a song his parents had written for the wedding of their friends. It's an old song but it will showcase all of Jongdae's voice techniques. It will be a feat, they all said. And it was.

At ten years old, Jongdae realizes he has no dreams, only a life already set in stone.

 

 

Jongdae is 18 when he realizes what he wants to be.

He heard about the son of Kim Worldwide Inc., how at a young age he'd worked and studied hard so he could go into business to help keep the family business going.

It had struck Jongdae like a lightning.

He wants to go into business. It was more helpful to society than a career in music. He could start a business where he could help make other people's dreams come true. It was certainly more helpful than writing and singing his own songs.

"I want to take up business," he tells his parents one day.

His parents are quiet then. His father looks mildly displeased, mouth set in a straight line. His mother is the one who speaks, putting her utensils down so she can talk without being disrupted.

"I thought we already agreed that you were going to take up music production? So it could help you with your career?" Her tone means that Jongdae shouldn't answer but Jongdae opens his mouth anyways and gives them points on why Business is better than Music.

Throughout the week, his parents try to dissuade him in his decision and Jongdae only hardens his attempts to get them to say yes.

"We've decided," his father begins when he finishes his meal, almost two weeks after Jongdae brought up the change of his plans, "you can take business."

Before Jongdae can go jump up and down in happiness, his mother cuts in and continues.

"But we're not going to provide for you."

Jongdae knows he's screwed then. He's got a hefty amount of money from his album selling but he doesn't think it would be enough to sustain his college life for four years. He can't get a scholarship with his poor grades and he knows his course won't allow him the time to work while studying.

At eighteen, Jongdae stops dreaming.

||

Joonmyun is faced with his biggest problem yet.

He's graduating in a few weeks and will be going to college after.

His scholarship in Seoul National University has already been confirmed and even though he wants to decline it and take it back, he knows he's not allowed.

The problem is this, with college and his scholarship on the line, Joonmyun has no choice but to stop his voice lessons. He knows his father will be happy about it. But singing has been a great part of his life. Every now and then he still dreams about being a singer and going to those lessons made him think it was possible.

He heaves a sigh and turns on the TV so he can stop thinking about it for a moment.

There's a music video playing and the song is as melancholic as he feels.

It seems to have just started, the title and artist of the song fading at the bottom. Joonmyun vaguely catches "Broken Dreams".

He watches the music video with apt attention. It's about a boy who wants to become a superhero and ironically enough he is shut down by his family and thrust into the world of grown ups. Somehow Joonmyun's heart goes out to it and even more so when the boy mans up and accepts the path that has been laid down in front of him.

_"My dreams are broken/ but I'll just create a new one with this future/ It's not too late for me~"_

Later that night, Joonmyun schedules his last appointment with his voice teacher.

He has a new dream now.

 

 

The paper's headlines' about the speech of Kim Worldwide Inc.'s CEO's son. Kim Joon _something_. Jongdae could care less really about the name of the person. He's too caught up in reading the contents of his speech.

_’I didn't always want to be a businessman. In fact, it wasn't until I started college that it became the only dream for me.'_

Jongdae's heart pounded in his chest as he read on. There was something incredibly familiar about that situation and he couldn't help but feel like the speech was meant for him.

_'Sometimes we dream of what we want to be and it doesn't happen. We shouldn't let that stop us from facing our future, from creating new dreams and goals. Our life doesn't stop after our dreams get crushed, it is just beginning. It isn't too late yet for me, for you, for us to create new dreams and new goals. And that to me is why I took up business. It is my dream now and I'm living it._

Jongdae couldn't read the rest of the speech. It wasn't for him anymore. His heart was thumping loudly and it felt like every word was a strike at his heart.

All of a sudden he remembered his song 'Broken Dreams' and he threw the paper away, and grabbed the nearest pen and paper.

In an hour or two, Jongdae had written a new song.

It's about new dreams and goals. It's about throwing away the past and moving forward.

He calls it 'Better Tomorrow'.

||

Joonmyun hears the song play on the radio, it's a nice happy melody with inspirational lyrics. He likes this song, so he closes his eyes and basks in the feeling of it.

When the song has finished and the artist and title has been said, Joonmyun tells his secretary to get him the album of the artist where the song can be located.

When he gets to work the next day, the album is on his desk and the songs are already synced on his computer waiting to be loaded on his iPod.

He loops the song the whole day and it gets him in the good working mood. He reminds himself to check out the artist —or Chen , as it's scribbled in the front of the album— lest he have more albums that appeal to his taste.

He hums to the song quietly as he finishes his work for the day and he can't help but think about how right the lyrics of the song are.

_”I'm throwing away the old/ walking out of the past/ I'm gonna walk the streets of Seoul/ with my head held high/ and I'm going to sing/ sing to my heart's content/ because it's all gonna be/ better tomorrow[~](https://soundcloud.com/darkyulate/better-tomorrow)”_

Yes, Joonmyun thinks, it's definitely going to be better tomorrow.


End file.
